30,000 passport backlog hits first time applicants

The Home Office has said it will scrap charges for urgent renewalsEPA/ANDY RAIN

Interviews for first-time applicants for passports have been suspended in London as staff struggle to deal with a backlog of at least 30,000 forms.

People applying for the first time at the offices in Victoria are being directed to other centres such as Peterborough, Luton or Maidstone. Officials want to shut 20 interview rooms to deal with renewals and business travellers.

The Home Office said only a handful of people had been affected. “We are asking customers who need interviews to travel to other locations,” a spokesman said. “This is a normal process during busy periods.”

The emergency plan was condemned by Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary. “This shambles just gets worse,” she said. “Londoners face having their passport office shut in their faces…